It's a boy!

[Ephiral]

The issue here in Canada has nothing to do with the actual changes to succession - the content of the laws in question is essentially irrelevant to the constitutional problem. We don't even have explicitly documented succession laws at the moment, which is the only reason the government thinks it can get away with this. (By Constitution and common law, we follow the UK policy as it stood in 1982 unless we change that.) The problem is that the Constitution explicitly divorced Canadian law form UK law as of 1982, so a law that boils down to "We will follow the UK's changes to a UK law that we happen to share" is in violation.

Given this context, I would certainly hope that an amendment to allow this - unless very strictly limited to succession law - would not pass routinely. I think the legal challenge is pretty important here, because "We can just ignore major sections of the Constitution we don't like!" is not a precedent I want the Harper government to have. The relative innocuousness of the current issue is beside the point.

EDIT: I don't want to interrupt the ongoing conversation, but... after reading the text in dispute, it's muddier than I thought. The Constitution Act (1982) repeals section 4 of the Statute of Westminster... which is the bit of the constitution saying that UK laws don't apply here, except by consent. Common-law precedent seems to hold that the intent was to strike the "except by consent" part, but... that's not what it says, so there's just enough wiggle room if you ignore precedent. Which, on reflection, might be the goal here... killing the common law is a massive change with unpredictable repercussions, but is liable to leave more power in the hands of the government.

[Cyrano Johnson]

The relative innocuousness of the current issue is beside the point.

In fact the relative innocuousness of the current issue is probably precisely why they chose it to attempt such a maneuver.

[Kythia]

Oh, I'm not denying the usefulness of the legal challenge.  There was talk about it from the Scottish Parliament until someone slowly and carefully explained to Salmond that constitutional matters weren't a devolved power.  Simply that one would hope that a strictly drafted constitutional amendment to bring Canada's policy in line with the rest of the dominions would pass pretty easily.

[Ephiral]

If it were extremely precise and narrow... maybe. There's enough distrust that "Harper government" plus "constitutional amendment" might get shot down on principle.

My main point was that nobody needs to argue on behalf of sexism - passing a law that provides everything the UK wants is a perfectly viable option. You just have to do it properly.

[gaggedLouise]

Concerning the name, just heard the informal "Baby Cambridge" on the tv news. I checked with Wikipedia and lo and behold, they are using the same for a redirect to their article on the baby boy.

[Ariel]

I am so very happy for Prince William and his beautiful wife! I absolutely adore the photos of her with her son, and the happy couple's radiant smiles. It brings me joy to see their success after the struggle to impregnate.

I am very excited to see the future king's name! ;D

[Beguile's Mistress]

A silly bit of trivia but Kate and Diana both sported polka dots when leaving hospital with their newborns.  Am I wrong to hope the new little prince favors the Spencer and Middleton genes rather than the Windsors?

[SweetSerenade]

I'm going to be completely honest, lol. In some of the pictures I have seen of the baby... I couldn't think anything else but ... that is a really really ugly baby...

I know it's terrible of me, but I couldn't help but think it. Some of them he looks really really good. Let's hope that he gets some really good genetics. :D His uncles were really big heartthrobs.

[Stella]

I'm going to be completely honest, lol. In some of the pictures I have seen of the baby... I couldn't think anything else but ... that is a really really ugly baby...

I know it's terrible of me, but I couldn't help but think it. Some of them he looks really really good. Let's hope that he gets some really good genetics. :D His uncles were really big heartthrobs.

Most newborns are ugly. They've been squashed up for awhile ... takes a bit for the features to take shape.

[Beguile's Mistress]

One of my associates said her grandfather always says newborns look like President Eisenhower or Queen Victoria.  Then they improve.

[Torch]

George Alexander Louis

aka HRH Prince George of Cambridge

[gaggedLouise]

George was very likely, Louis not expected at all. A nod to Louis, Earl Mountbatten, no doubt (whose sister Louise was queen consort of Sweden in the 1950s and 60s).

[Torch]

George was very likely, Louis not expected at all. A nod to Louis, Earl Mountbatten, no doubt (whose sister Louise was queen consort of Sweden in the 1950s and 60s).

It's well known that Prince Charles and Earl Mountbatten were extremely close before the Earl was killed by an IRA bomb. No doubt William wanted to honor his father's closest mentor in some way.

[Kythia]

Louis is one of William's names - William Arthur Philip Louis

[Torch]

Louis is one of William's names - William Arthur Philip Louis

Ahh, good point. I'd love to know the significance of "Alexander". Whether it's simply a name they both liked, or if it is in honor of someone they are close to.

[Cyrano Johnson]

Clearly in homage to Jason Alexander, whose work on Seinfeld and the animated classic Duckman are well known Royal family favourites.

[Kythia]

Indeed.  The Queen is on the record as saying "one fucking loves Seinfeld.  One really can not get enough of that shit"

[RubySlippers]

I will say this if he looks like dad and mum with his pedigree and gender when he is old enough he is going to get lots of women if he wants. The only down side is he will have to join the military its a long tradition.

[gaggedLouise]

Clearly in homage to Jason Alexander, whose work on Seinfeld and the animated classic Duckman are well known Royal family favourites.

Or to the late great Alexander McQueen...? who designed Bowie's Union Jack coat